Improved machine for pressing and molding pliable materials



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEieEi GEORGE O. HOWARD, OF PHILADELPHIA,PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED MACHINE FOR PRESSING AND MOLDING PLIABLE MATERIALS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 55,658, dated Julie 19,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEO. C. HOWARD, of Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in a Machine for Pressing and Molding PliableMaterials; and I do hereby decla-re that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame,reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of thisspecification, in which- Figure I is a perspective view of the wholemachine; Fig. 2, a plan of the yoke on which the upper centering-plateis either cast or secured by screws; Fig. 3, a vertical section of themale mold, in perspective; Fig. 4, a perspective.view of the femalemold, partly in perspective; Fig. 5, a vertical section of the uppercentering-plate, in perspective; Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sections ofthe lower centering-plate, in perspective.

My invention consists 4in the form of the housings A A, combining allthe necessary bearings in one piece bolted to the table B, by whichgreater durability and simplicity is obtained; in the means for keepingthe treadle down; in improved means of centering and adjusting the moldsand dies, and in providing the treadle and housings with two or morefulcrum-bosses, by means of which the leverage can be varied withoutaffecting seriously the position of the treadle and link.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

A A are two housings, which form, in connection with the tableB and thebrace-rod M, the principal framing of the machine. They also constitutethe bearings for the sliding` pressure-rods C C, rock-shaft D, and,treadle fulcrum-shaft E.

The rods C C are at the lower end connected by the cross-head F, and atthe upper extremity by the yoke G, which can be secured at differentheights by means of the set-screws g g. At the center of the cross-headare ears or bosses, to which the links H and H H are joined. vThe link Hconnects the cross-head with the treadle I, and the links H Hcommunicate the motion of the cross-head to the rock-shaft D by means ofthe forked rockarm J.

The spiral or helical wire springs K K are fastened on one end to theback side of the table B and on the other to the stud L, which iscarried by the slotted rocking-a-rm B on the rock-shaft D. A weight, N,attached to a cord (which, running over a pulley on the lower side ofthe table B, is fastened to the crosshead F) may be used instead of thesprings KK.

The centering plates, Figs. 5 and 6, are furnished with grooves, slots,pins, holes, or similar devices, Fig. 7, and the molds or dies areprovided with projections, grooves, holes, pins, or analogous things,corresponding to and tting the grooves, slots, pins, holes, or similardevices on the centering-plates, for the purpose of facilitating thecentering of the dies or molds.

The lower centering-plate, b', Figs. 6 and l, rests upon the stem O,which is held in place by the adjustable stand P, secured to the table Bb v the bolts and nuts p p'. The two slots in the stand P are at rightangles to those immediately under it in the table B, so that the lowermold or die, c', can be adjusted horizontally.

The upper centering-plate, a', Figs. 5 and l, is adjusted into ahorizontal position, so as to bring its face parallel to that of thelower centering-plate, b', by the set-screws r r r r', which also serveto keep it in place.

The upper mold or die, tl', Figs. 4 and l, is kept in place by the boltS, which passes through the washer T, yoke G, upper centering-plate7 a',Fig. l, and finally screws into the mold or die.

The rod Q is fastened to the table B in such a manner that it alwaysbears slightly against the side of the treadle I and moves entirely overit as soon as the treadle has passed its lower end, preventing it fromrising until it is pushed aside again. There are two or more fulcrumbosses on the treadle, andan equal number on each one of the housings,which enable me to vary the amount of leverage of the treadle by puttingshaft E through either one without changing materially the position ofthe link H and treadle I.

The operation of the machine is as follows: After the molds or dies havebeen put in position the treadle is compressed, which causes the uppermold to descend. When it arrives at its lowest point t-herodQJ slipsover the treadle,

preventing thereby the mold or die from rising. A slight pressure withthe foot against the side of the rod will liberate the trezidle,whichisinlniedintely raised by the springsKK, or their equivalents, andthe operation may be repeated.

i claim as my inventionl. The form of housings A A, combining all thenecessary bearings lin one piece with the table B, constructedsubstantially :1s described.

2. Providing the treadle and housings with two or more fulcrum-bosses,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. The slots in the stand P, at right lingles to those immediate underit in the table B, substzintiall y as and for the purpose described.

GEO. C. HOWARD.

Witnesses:

GHAs. C. KLEIN, SAML, B. HOWARD.

